Oil vaporizer



April 1952 H. H. M. MEYER 2,593,166

011. VAPORIZER Filed Nov. 25 1947 FUEL AIR MIXTURE E |T FUEL AIR MIXTURE EXIT IO\ I (LIQUID FUEL LIQUID FUEL N PRIMARYAIR' g PRIMARY F\G.3 1 NR INVENTOR H-H. M ETTIVIER M EYER AGENT Patented Apr. 15, 1952 3 UNITED STATE OIL VAPORIZER Hugo Hubertus Mettivier Meyer, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., assignor to Philips Laboratories, Inc.,

Irvington-on-Hudson, N. Y.

Application November 25, 1947, Serial No. 787,987

3 at... (01. 4s 1o'7) :This invention pertains to evaporators and 7 more particularly, to fuel evaporators for use with combustion apparatus of various, types, wherein a combustible fuel-air mixture is req red.

An object of this invention isto provide a fuel evaporator having rapid and complete fuel evaporation qualities. i

Another object of this invention is to produce .a fuel evaporator characterized by being free of fuel residuals such as carbonand gum deposits.

A further object of this invention is to.provide a fuel evaporator which is simple in structure, A and can be produced and maintained at low cost. Aiturther object of theinvention is to provide aiuel evaporator having a large fuel-air capacity and a small size. I

: These and further objects of the invention will become apparent as the specification progresses. According to the invention the liquid fuel evaporator comprises a substantially vertical disposed tubular chamber having open ends, a fuel inlet means, a heat source and an air current means. Thefuel inlet-means is located at the upper end of the tubular chamber, and is arranged to admit aliquid fuel to the chamber in such manner, that the fuel will run down the inner wall of the chamber under the influence of gravity. The heat source is applied to a lower exterior portion of the chamber and establishes a temperature gradient on the inner surface of the chamber, the temperature of the temperature gradient decreasing in the direction of the fuel inlet means to a value which is below the vaporization temperature of liquid fuel used. Generally, the liquid fuel used in the evaporator is composed of constituents, each having a particular evaporation temperature, and by means of the temperature gradient, each constituent flows down ward vin the chamber until it reaches its evaporation temperature. In this manner, there is no danger oi suddenly exposing the liquid fuel to a temperature of such intensity that cracking would result and leave carbon of gum deposits which is a usual by-product of the fuel cracking process. The aircurrent means is located at the bottom end of the chamber and is arranged to direct a current of air upwards through the chamber. This produces a mixing of air with the fuel vapor, the resulting fuel-air mixture being conducted thereafter to a burner element wherein it is consumed. Quite obviously, the fuel inlet, the heat source and the air flow must be properly correlated and maintained in good adjustment, if complete and efficient fuel-air mixture is to be obtained.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an enclosed chamber which is circular in form is' arranged at the lower end of the evaporator and an air intake to thesaid circular chamber is tangentially positioned to produce a rapid circular air movement in the chamber. By this construction the air. entering the tubular chamber of the evaporator is given cyclonic movement which results in a circular movement of the fuel on the inner chamber wall which prevents the fuel from flowing downwardly at too rapid a rate,

and results in a rapid and thorough mixing of fuel vapor and air. a

In another embodiment of the invention, a wire mesh lining is arranged about the irmer surface of the evaporator. This brings about a greater dispersion of the liquid fuel over the evaporating surface, and promotes a. more rapid evaporation of the fuel.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now be described with reference ..to the accompanying drawing which shows by way of example two embodiments thereof.

Fig. l is a vertical cross-section elevation view of one embodiment of the invention,

Fig.2 is a bottom plan View of the same, an Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section elevation view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the liquid fuel vaporizer there shown comprises a vertically arranged evaporation chamber lo the lower end l2 of which is provided with aheater l l which may be of any conventional form and has been shown as a gas flame similar to that produced by a Bunsen burner. By so positioning the heater 1 I, an inner portion'of the chamber In is provided with a temperature gradient which decreases in value whereby at approximately the distance as indicated by numeral 13, no significant heating of the remaining portion of the chamber It) takes place. An inlet pipe l4 arranged at the upper section of the chamber Hhadmits liquid fuel to the chamber, the fuel running downwardly on the inner surface of the chamber due to the effect of gravity. As the liquid progresses downwards along the chamber wall and through the region with the temperature gradient, the fuel constituents are differentially evaporated as each constituent encounters its particular evaporation temperature. The lower end of the cylinder It] opens into an enclosed chamber l5, which has a wall portion [6 concentrically arranged about the axis of the chamber In. An inlet pipe I! is arranged to admit primary air to the chamber 15 in a tangential manner as shown causing the air in the chamber to revolve rapidly and upon leaving the chamher, to pass upwardly through the chamber In in a turbulent manner. The air passing upwardly in such manner causes the fuel to be rotated upon the chamber wall and rapidly mixes the air and evaporated fuel, the mixture then being conducted from the top of the evaporator to a combustion chamber (not shown).

The fuel evaporatoraccording to the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3 comprises a vertically arranged evaporation chamber '20 having a wire mesh lining 24 secured to and covering the inner surface of the chamber. A heater 22, conforming to that shown in Fig. 1 provides a temperature gradient along the inner portion of the chamber 20, the temperature of which decreases in value up to the region indicated by 23. An inlet pipe 24 positioned above the region 23 admits liquid fuel to the chamber as shown, the

fuel running downwardly through the wire mesh en the inner surface'of the'chambe-r and being greatly dispersed thereby. As' the liquid fuel pregresses downwardly into the region of ining temperature, the fuel "constituents are ,ated when 'each encounters its particular p riz ation temperature. Primary a'ir' enters the lower open portionbf the chamber and is thrdugh'theevaporatingchamber in an upward directien, the air rapidly mixing with the evaporated fuel and the mixture then being led f'rein the evaporator to a c'oinbustienbhamber (notshown).

It will now be apparent that the new and novel fuel evaporator which has been explained above and illustrated in the drawings, 'has'rapid' and plete fuel evaporating qualities, will function w h 'little evidence of residuals, such as carbon and gum deposits, and is simple men-utt rs and can .be produced and maintained-atl'ow cost.

a specific example of the application of the principles 'of the inventiomI have constructeda satisfactory.evaporator having the following dimensions'and output. The evaporating chamber is' made of one sixteenth inch thick copper tubing having an inside diameter of en'e half inch and a len th of three inches. The primary air chamber has an inside diameter of one and one half inchesj'and' is one half inchhigh. When using commerci l esol nqa e at of p bxi .07}; gaL/hr. and an air flow of approximately'l34 cu "ft ./hr.,'I realize afuel air mixture with an approximate heat potential of 9000 B. t. u.s/hr. VVhilej I have shown and described particular embod ments of my .invention,'- it is. apparent that variations'may be made'i'n form without departfrom theftrue spirit of the invention. U

I fil vaporizer comprising afi rst unobstructed chamber Of tubular form and having j iiigfs t a h' ns heg sa ends bei o tiQnQQ higher. than the other, aheatingmeansposfitiqned outside said chamber for directing heata a n tthef de er bf o a stab i h b o ductio'n a temperaturegradient on a portion of thefint'erior surface of said first chamber which is at the lower of said ends, a duct means entering said first chamber at a region above said temperature gradient, said duct means being arranged to deliver a liquid fuel to said first chamber in such manner that the liquid fuel will flow down the unobstructed interior surface of said first chamber, said temperature gradient decreasing in value in the direction toward said duct means, a second chamber arranged in open communication with said first chamber by the opening in the lower end of said tubular form, said second chamber having a curved wall portion disposed about the common axis of said chambers, and an inlet means opening into said second chamber through said curved wall portion and directed substantially tangentially thereof whereby a gaseous medium being forced into said second chamber will rotate therein and be caused to flow in a turbulent manner through said first chamber in the direction towards said duct means and'es'cape through the upper open end of said first chamber after mixing with vaporized fuel oil thereinJ 2. A fuel oil vaporizer comprising a first chamber including a cylindrical member vertically disposed and having openings at each end, heating means positioned so as to establish a temperature 'gra'dienton a portion of the interior surface or said chamber; a' duct means entering said chamber are region above said temperaturegradieii'tlsaid'dhct means being arranged to deliver a -liquid fuel to'said first chamber insuch manner thatthe liquid'fuel will'fiow down the interior surface of said first chamber, said temperature radiehtde'creasing m'vame in the direction toward said duct means, a secohd chamber'c om prising a pair of disc members spaced apart and connected at the peripheries thereof by a continuous curved walljone of saiddiscs having an openmg in communication'wi th said first chamber at the lower errdthereof, and a conduit member ta n a ly di ose with 'r q tdsa df Wall of said second chamberfwhereby air which is forced into said second chamberby said conduit member will assume a rotary'movement within said secpnd chamber" and be caused to flow in a turbulent manner upwardly through said first chamber and, escape therefrom through the top opening of said first chamber."

H GO HPB R US, m 'r vma RE ERE C we The. following references. are. of; recordin the l a? hi Pa en UNITED STATES BA'I'ENTS- 

